Vehicle having a removable section



Jan. 5, 1954 A. G. TALBERT 2,655,142

VEHICLE HAVING A REMOVABLE SECTION INVENTOR.

Jam 5, 1954 A. G. TALBERT VEHICLE HAVING A REMOVABLE SECTION Filed NOV. 22, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TIITII MNHN) um" l E INVENToR. man Ji/iwf BY l @MMM/v WMM Patented Jan. 5, 1.954

UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE VEHICLE HAVING A REMOVALE SECTION Austin G. Talbert, Lyons, Ill., assignor to Talbert Construction Equipment Company, Lyons, Ill.,

a corporation of Illinoisv Application November 22,195.0, Serial No. 197,017

there is a need for additional supporting wheels and axles.

In the trucking industry and construction business there is often a need for additional loadsupporting wheels and axles whereby unusually heavy loads may be uniformly distributed to a greater nLLnber of wheels and axles. For example, many low-bed semi-trailers are now in use in the construction business for transporting heavy machinery such as cranes Vand earth movers, which themselves have low highway mobility. These heavy duty semi-trailers have bogey units on the rear ends of the type having tandem axles interconnected on opposite sides by loaddistributing beams whereby the load will be even- Vly distributed on each/wheel and axle while allowing each wheel to individually accommodate itself to irregularities in the'terrain. Instances frequently arise where it is desired'to transport an unusually heavy load on one of these trailers, the load being of such magnitude that the bearing pressure exertedby each wheel exceeds the permissible limit for a particular highway. Thus,

9 claims. (c1. 28o- 1045) 2 which may be easily detached or attached to the front section, the rear section includinga pair of side frame members the frontends oi which abut the rear ends of a corresponding pair of side frame members for the front section, with removable connection means provided on the abutting ends whereby they may be rigidly secured most States have Vstatutes limiting theV bearing load which maybe carried by eachwheel of a vehicle. In other instances occasions arise in which it is desired to transport a normal lo'ad over a road or highway which is in poor condition and wherein greater than normal distribution of the load on additional axles and wheels would be highly desirable.

A principal object of the present invention is a multi-axle, wheel-supported unit forY heavy-duty vehicles which has a permanent front section Vand a removable rear section, and includes means for distributing the load equally to the axles either when the front section is used alone orwhen the rear section is attached.

An important object of the invention is a multiaxle, wheel-supported unit of the class described having a permanent front section and a removable rear section having at least one additional axle, the rear section being readily removed orV attached to the front section, there being no parts left projecting at the rear of the front section when the rear section is detached.

Another important object of the invention is Aa n multi-axle, wheel supported unit having a permanent front section and a removable rear section together.Y

Another important object of the invention is a multi-axle, wheel-supported unit of the class described having a permanentfront section including leaf springs onv opposite 'sides and a removable rear section also having leaf springs on opposite sides, and a load-distributingbar on each side the front end of which is's'upported on the rear end of the adjacent iront section leaf spring and the rear end being supported on the front end 'of Vthe adjacent Vrear section leaf spring, and

each bar being pivotally attached to the unit frame at a point such that a load on the unit is distributed proportionately between the axles in the front and rear sections.

Certain additional objects of the invention will in part be obvious, and will in part appear hereinafter.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope 'of the invention, reference may Vnow be had tothe following detailed description Fig; 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view showingthe rear end of a low-bed semi-trailer provided with a removable rear section which has tandem axle units and which constitutes another embodiment of the invention;

In Figs'. 1 and 2 of the drawings the rear end portion of a low-bed semi-trailer is shown, the

low-bed platform being designated at 5 and the permanent wheel support section at the rear end of the trailer being designated generally at 6 and having attached thereto a removable rear section which is designated generally at 1. The low-bed semi-trailer may be of the general type shown in my U. S. Patent No; 2,489,112 granted November 22, 1949.

The permanent front section includes two longitudinal side frame members 8-8 which extend along opposite sides of the section 6, only one of these members being shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These side frame members 8 are suitably attached at their front ends to the rear of the low-bed platform 5 and are suitably braced together in known manner. The permanent section 6 is supported by tandem axles Ill- IIL Tandem axle combinations are widely used at the present time for supporting semi-trailers. However, for the purpose of the present invention it will be understood that the.permanent lsection 5 could be supported on a'single axle or on a multiple axle combinationcomprising more than two axle units suitably `arrangedvtogether for. load equalization. Thus, referring to the con? .pairs of wheels I ,ITII a load-.transmitting beam I2 extends between adjacent ends of the .axles III-I and is pivotallysupported .or..connected thereto by means of brackets or hangers vI3e.-I3, the lower endsvofwhichl are provided. with. pins I4 which extendthrough eyes'provided `therefor in the opposite ends of the beams I2. AThe weight ofthe'chassis is supported on the axles I0 bymeans of leaf springs I5-,I5, each of which is supported on one of th-e .beams-I2. on

opposite sides ofthepermanent wheel-supported section 5. .Each of theleaf-.springs I5 is carried on a saddle` IB whichrfitsover the center of the adjacentvk beam I2 .and is. pivotallyconnected thereto by means of a. pin Il. Each of the leaf springsA I5 is pivotallyconnected at its front-end to the underside. of theadjacent frame member 8 by means of a pin.. I8. carried by axture-.ZU which is secured to the-underside. of-` the frame memberas shown.

The rear end of each leaf spring I5 is yfree and extends between a I.pairiof guide plates 2I--2I (Figi. 3) lwhich depend.4 downwardly .from..the underside ofthe adjacent side frame .member 8 as shown.4 The .sideframe-members2I are provided with registering holes. 22-.-22 vfor receiving .a retaining pin` for ther-ear end of theleaf .sp-ring l5 when the removablerear section] is detached from the` permanentfront .section 6.: .Each .pair

' of guide plates 2I is braced. apart ,adjacent th-eir ladapted tobe.rigidly connected .to the rear ends of the side Vframe!membeersliso as to form vrigid rearward extensions thereof.; In this connection,

the forward ends, of thesideframe memb-ers25 which abut therear endsofthe side ,frame mem- ,bers 8 are provided at thetop Yand bottom with male connectingfiletages-1A 2t which. t .accurately in between upper and lowerVV pairsoffemale connectingfflanges Y21..-.21k carried. by the rear ends of the side frame members 8. The mating flanges SUIbymeans. of shackles 33. The rear end of each leaf spring 32 ts vin between two downwardly I.depending plates 34-34 carried by the adjacent ..unit-;32 andy through registering holes in the member 25.

plates 34. The front end of each leaf spring 32 extends between a set of guide plates 36-36 which depend from the adjacent side frame A short link`3l is pivotally connected to -the forward end of each leaf spring .3,2 by means of a pin 38 while the other end of each link 3T is adapted to be attached to the rear end of a load-distributing bar 40 by means of a removable pin 4I. .In making this latter connection, the link. 31. is first lifted up to the position 4shown in broken line in Fig. 1 and then-*the rear end of the adjacent bar 40 is connected thereto by inserting the pin 4I after which the bar and link are vallowed to drop inbetween the guide plates 36. The guide plates are braced apart adjacent their lower ends by means of a collar 42 (Fig. 5) which fits over a bolt 43, as shown.

In `order to `distribute the loads proportionately between the 4tandem axles I0 of the front permanent section 8 and-the single axle 3f.) of the detachable rear section 1, the load-distributing bars Von opposite sides of the unit are pivotally connected to a rigid part of the frame and at such a point between the ends ofeach bar 40 that the distance between the pivot support for the bar and `the rear end of the bar is twice the distance between the pivot point and the front end4 thereof. f Thus, as shown in Fig. 1 ofA the drawings, the bar 40 fits in between two downwardly depending plates ..44,--44 provided ywith registering holes for receiving a removable pin V,45 whichtextends through the holes as. well as through a hole provided therefor in the bar..40. The,load-distributingbars 40 are so shaped that fthe cylindrical front. ends 46 thereof ride on the tioned above. It will be .understood that the arrangement is the same on both sides of the trailer.

With'the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2, any .load placed on the body 5 of the trailer will .be equally distributed betweenthe axles Ill-I0 and the rearv axle 30. At the same time each of the wheels and axles in independently mounted so that they can accommodate themselves to unevenness of terrain while still maintaining the `.uniform load distribution.

When `the loads to be transported on the trailer are such that the additional third axle is not required, the detachable rear section 'l may be readily removed. YTo do this, the pins 28 are removed which secure the longitudinal slide frame members 8 and 25 together, and the loaddistributing bars 40 are removed by withdrawing the pins45 and the pins 4I. After the bars 40 have been removed, pins (not shown) `are replaced through the registering holes 22-22 in each of the sets of side plates 2l so as toV provide a holding abutment for the rearend of each leaf spring l5. It will thus be seen that the rear section 1 is easily detached or re-attached depending upon whether. or not there is, or is not, a need for the additional supportingaxle.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings an embodiment of the invention is shown wherein the removable rear section of the Wheel-supported unit has tandem axles. The permanent front section indicated generally at 6 may be that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. If desired, the sets of plates 44--44'on opposite sides of the unit which are used for supporting the load-distributing bars --40 in Fig. 1 may be omitted since they will not be vused unless the single axle detachable unit 1 is being used. The detachable rear section 59 includes a pair of longitudinal side frame members 5|-5I provided on their front ends with male flange connectors 52-52 adapted to meet with the female flange connectors 21-21 carried on the rear ends of the front section side members 8--8. The rear section is supported by tandem axles 53-53 which form a part of a unit corresponding to the tandem axle unit for the permanent front section 6. A beam 54 is supported on each side of the rear section 5i] by means of hangers 55 which pivotally connect the opposite ends of the beam to the axles 53. Support wheels 56-55 are mounted on opposite ends of the axles 53.

A leaf spring 51 is provided on each side of the rear section 5U and is carried over the center of the adjacent beam 54 by means of a saddle 58 pivotally connected to the beam 54 by means of a pin 50. The rear end of each leaf spring 51 is pivotally connected to and in between downwardly depending side plates GI-Eil carried by the adjacent side frame member 5|,v as shown. The front end of each leaf spring 51 ts in between downwardly depending guide plates 62,-6 carried by the adjacent frame member 5I.

A load-distributing bar 63 is used on each side of the unit to transmit the load between the front and rear sections. Since there are an equal number of supporting axles in the front andrear sections, each bar 83 is pivotally connected at its mid point only to the frame. For this purpose a pair of side plates {i4-54 project downwardly adjacent the front end of each of the longitudinal side frame members 5|; The bars 63 .fit in between these pairs of plates 64 and are pivotally connected thereto by means of pins 65. The cylindrically shaped front and rear ends 56 and 51, respectively, of the load-distributing bars 63 rest on the rear and front ends of the leaf springs l5 and 51, respectively.

When it is desired to detach the removable rear section 56, this may be done conveniently by removing the pins 28 which secure together the abutting ends of the side frame members 8 and 5l and then inserting retaining pins or bolts in the registering holes in the sets of downwardly depending guide plates 2 l-2I on the undersides of the front section longitudinal side frame members 8. Such pins or bolts Will serve to retain the rear ends of the leaf spring units I5 after the detachable rear section 50 has been removed.

It will be seen that the pairs of support brackets 64 for the load-distributing bars 63 can be carried by either the permanent front section or the removable rear section depending upon the particular proportions. Thus, if the side frame members V8 were madesomewhat longer .in Fig. 6, these supporting brackets 64 could be carried adjacent the rear ends of the side frame members 8. i

It will be seen that the present invention may be readily adapted to existing low-bed trailers or other wheel-supported units. `For example, it is only necessary to provide such structures with the female connecting flanges 21-21 and provide downwardly sets of Vguide plates 2I-2I and M or their equivalents.

While the invention has been described in connection with low-bed semi-trailers as illustrative of Wheel-supported vehicles, it will-be understood that it is also applicable to other types of vehicles including heavy-duty highway trucks and suchrspecial purpose vehicles as truck cranes.

Since certain changes may be made in the particular embodiments described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and since other embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter `described above and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Y

What is claimed as new is: i 1. A multi-axle, wheel-supported unit of the class described having a permanent frontsection and a detachable rear section removably connected to said front section, comprising, a pair of longitudinal side frame members for said front section, at least one supporting axle for said front section, support wheels mounted on the opposite ends of said front section axle, spring means on each side of said front section and not extending beyond the rear ends of said front sece tion side frame members for supporting said front section side frame members on said front section axle, a pair of longitudinal side frame members for said detachable rear section adapted to abut endwise and form rigid extensions of said front section side frame members, detachable connecting means on the abutting ends of said front and rear section side frame members for rigidly connecting the abuttingside frame members together, at least one supporting axle 'for said detachable rear section, support wheels mounted on the opposite ends of said rear section axle, spring means for supporting said rear section side frame members on said rear section supporting axle and not extending beyond the frontV ends of said rear section side frame members, a load-distributing bar on each side of said wheel-supported unit having the front end of each bar supported by the adjacent front section support wheel or wheels and having the rear end of each bar supported by the adjacent rear section support wheel or wheels, bracket means on each side of said wheel-supported unit carried by one of said side frame members, and means for pivotally connecting each of said load-distributing bars on the adjacent bracket means.

2. A multi-axle, wheel-supported unit ofthe class described having a permanent front section and a detachable rear section removably connected to said front section, comprising, a pair of longitudinal side frame members for said front section, tandem supporting axles for said front section, support wheels mounted on the opposite ends of said tandem supporting axles',-a beam on each side of said front section extending between the adjacent ends of said tandem axles, connecting means pivotally connecting the opposite ends of said beams to the adjacent' ends of vsaid tandem axles, a leaf spring oneach. side pcf.;said.;frontisectidn;fmeansxpivotallyasupporting eachfof vsaid .leaf` springs atf its middle and aligned in'a-front to rear direction-on the adjacent (beam, means pivotally connecting the front end-of'each ofA saidjleaf springsto the adjacentffront.section side l frame member.;r disconnectable means for connecting f the rear iend` of each jof said .leaf springssto the adjacent frontsection side-frame memberiwhen said rear section isdeta'ched from .-said front section." a-pair. of longitudinal -side frame members for said detachable rear section adapted'to abut endwise and form rigidexten- `sions of said front section 'side frame members, Y detachable --connecting means `on .the i abutting ends of said front andf-rear sectionside 4frame Amembers for .rigidly connecting. the abutting side frame members together, at. least one supporting axle f for said-detachable rear section, support -:Wheels .-mountedion .the opposite, ends ,ofA said rear section axle, .spring 4means for supporting said rear-sectionlside .fijlamemembers on said rear sectionaxle, a load-,distributing baroneacli side ofifsaid wheelsupported unit. with the frontend of;each .bar supported by the rear end-of the vadjacent one -of said frontgsectionfleaf springs and having the rear end of each .barsupported bythe adjacent end of said-rear,sectionaxle7 bracket means onfeachsideofsaid Wheelfsupported unit carried `by oneofgsaid sideframe members, and means for pivotally connecting each of said loaddistributing. Y. bars 'on the adjacentone of said bracket means.; said i frontv section being operable as` an'independentu nit when said-.rear section is; detached; therefrom'l and the rear ends of said front'- section .Ileafl springs-are attached to-,said side frame members.

3. AA multifaxle, wheel-supportedy unit .of :the class described having I a permanent front section and a detachable rear.sectio n removably connectedtoisaid front'jsection; comprising; `a pair of longitudinaljside frame members for said front section, tandem supportingaxles4 for said front section, fsupport Wheels mounted onthe kopposite ends Aof said tandem supportingaxles, abeam on each -side'ofsaid .front section extending between the adjacent endsv ofnsaid. 4tandem-axles, connecting means pivotally connecting theopposite ends ofsaid beams to the .adjacentends .ofrsaidtandem axles, a leaf spring on eachside of said front sec. tion, ymeans Ipivotally supporting each. of. said .leaf springs atitsmiddle and .aligned-ina frnt .to rear .directionl on. they-adjacent beam, means, pivotally connecting .thefrontend.ofneach Aoff said leaf i springstothe adjacentfrontsection side frame` member, disconnectable means for .connectinggthe rear endof each of said .leaf wsprings to the :adjacent front section.;side. frame. member when, said rear. section v.is detached fromsaid'front section,apair of longitudinal sidelframe members for said detachable..rearesectionadapted to abut endwise andform `rigidextensicns :of said front section side frame members, detachableY connect--l ing means 4on theabutting ends of said-frontand rear lsection side frame members .for rigidly connecting vthe abutting` side frame vmembers together,A tandemsupporting iaxles for. said rear section, support wheels mounted on .the .opposite ends of said rear section supporting axles; abeam on .each sdeqof said-rear section extending .be. tweenfthe adjacent; ends ,offsaid rear section axles; connecting means pivotally connecting 'the opposite --endsK of saidrear section. beamsntofthe adjacent. ends of said .rear section axles; aieaf; spring on each side. of said rear section,- meansmivotally supporting each ofsaid rear- .sectiongieafgsprings at its. middle andsaliened in.,affrcnttorcaladiref .8 tionon 'theadjacent vone of -said :rear section beams, means pivotally connecting the rear-'end 0f each of said rear section. leaf springs toy the adjacent rear sectionside frame member, aloaddistributing bar onLeachsidelofsaid wheel-supported unit with the frontend of each bar supported by the rearV end ofi the adjacent front section leaf spring and having the rear end'of each bar supported by the front end ofthe adjacent .rear section leaf spring-bracketmeans on.each

side of'said Wheel-supported `unit carried .by one of said side frame members, andfmeanspivotally connecting each of saidfbars atY its middle on the adjacent one of said bracket means, saidfront section being-operable as an' independent .unit

vwhen said rear. section is detached therefrom and the rear ends of said front sectionsleaf springs are attached to said side frame members.

4. A multi-axle,-wheel-supportedunit of the class described having aperrnanent fr ont section anda detachable rear section removably. connected to said front section, comprising a Apair of longitudinalside frame members for said front section, tandem supporting axles .for said front section, support wheels mounted on the opposite ends of said tandemsupportingaxles` a beamen each side of said front section extending between the adjacent ends of said .tandemaxles connecting means pivotally connectingrtheopposite ends of said beams to the adjacent ends of said tandem axles, a leaf spring on each side of .said front section, means pivotallysupporting each of said leaf springs at its middle and .aligned Vina front to rear direction onthe-adjacentbeam, means pivotally'connecting the front endof each ofY said leaf springs to the .adjacent lfront, sectiony side frame member,.a ,pair of longitudinal side frame members for said detachablev rear` section adapted to abut endwise and form rigid extensions of said front .section side vframe members, detachable connecting .means on the abutting en ds of said front and rear section side frame members for rigidly connecting the abutting side frame members together, .a single supportingaxlefor said rearsection, support Wheels'l mounted on the opposite ends of said single. axle, a leaf spring on each side of said rear section, means, supporting each'of said rear section leaf lsprings' at its middle and aligned in' a front to rear direction on the adjacent end of said singleaxle, meanspivotally connecting the rear end of each of. said rear sectionjleaf springs to the adjacent rear 'section side frame member, a load-distributing bar on each side of said wheel-supported unit with' the front end of each bar supported by the rear end'of the adjacent front section leafspring and having the rear end of each bar supported bythe front end of the adjacent rear section leaf springbracket means on each of said frcntsection'side'frame members projecting over the rear end of the adjacent front section leaf spring and adapted to 'be connected thereto when said connecting vbars are removed, and means pivotally connecting each of said bars on the adjacent one Vof said 'bracket means, the location of said pivot'connectio'ns for said bars being spaced from the front end thereof a distance equal to one-third the length of each bar.

5. The Wheel-supported unit calledfor in claim 1 .wherein said detachable connecting means on the abutting ends of said front and rear section side frame membersfor'rigidly connecting the abuttingside frame members together, comprise, male members on, the; abutting end of one :side frame member, matingfemale 4members on the abutting end ,of the corresponding .sidefframe member, and removable pins extending through registering holes in said mating male and female members.

6. The wheel-supported unit called for in claim 1 wherein each of said bracket means on opposite sides of said unit comprise inner and outer spaced plates depending from one of said side frame members having registering holes adjacent the bottom ends of said plates, and said means for pivotally connecting each of said loaddistributing bars on the adjacent bracket means comprises a pin which projects through a hole in said bar and through said registering holes in said bracket plates with said bar being disposed in between said plates.

'7. The wheel-supported unit called for in claim 2 wherein said disconnectable means comprises a pair of spaced guide plates depending from each of said front section side frame members and fitting over opposite sides of the rear end of each of said leaf springs, each pair of said guide plates having registering holes therein for receiving a removable pin which serves to bear down on the rear end of the adjacent leaf spring when said rear section of the unit is detached and said loadtransmitting bars are removed.

8. The wheel-supported unit called for in claim 4 wherein a pair of spaced guide plates depend from each of said rear section side frame members and t over the opposite sides of the front end of each of said rear section leaf springs, a short link pivotally connected to the front end of each of said rear section leaf springs so as to hang down between the adjacent pair of said guide plates, each of said links having an aperture in the bottom end which is registrable with an aperture in the rear end of the adjacent load-distributing bar, and a removable pin extending through the registering apertures in the bottom end of each link and the rear end of the adjacent load-transmitting bar.

9. An additional axle providing section of the class described adapted to be removably attached as the rear section of a multi-axle wheel-supported unit having a permanent front section, said additional axle providing section comprising a pair of longitudinal side frame members l0 adapted to abut endwise and form rigid extensions of longitudinal side frame members of said permanent front section, connecting means on the front ends of said side frame members of said additional axle providing section adapted to be mated and connected with cooperating connecting means carried on the rear ends of said permanent front section, at least one supporting axle for said additional axle providing unit, support wheels mounted on the opposite ends of said axle, a leaf spring on each side of said additional axle providing section, means for supporting each of said leaf springs on the adjacent end of said supporting axle with each leaf spring extending in a front to rear direction and not extending beyond the front ends of said rear section side frame members, means for pivotally connecting the rear end of each of said leaf springs to the adjacent one of said longitudinal side frame members, and guide means on each of said side frame members for guiding the front end of the adjacent one of said leaf springs, the load on said supporting axle of said additional axle providing section when the same is attached to said permanent front section being distributable to the supporting axles of said permanent front section by means of load-distributing bars on opposite sides of said coupled sections, the real` end of each of said bars being adapted to rest on the front end of the adjacent leaf spring of said additional axle providing unit, the front end of each of said bars being adapted to rest on the adjacent leaf springs of said permanent front section.

AUSTIN G. TALBERT.

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